Computer professional shows there are opportunities home By Edu Lopez September 17, 2001 Manila Bulletin, Business Agenda Computer programmers usually go abroad for better opportunities. But not Erik Roque, assistant Vice president of Active Business Solutions. Just like other ICT, software professional had an ambition to work abroad together with his friends in New Jersey, USA. They were about to leave the country, however, one of his closed friends convinced him to join a new dotcom owned by the Yap family. Erik believes that there are many opportunities here in the country for software professionals if given the right environment to sharpen their skills. Erik's first job after graduating from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1986 was as a system engineer, designing hand-held computers and products of Software Breakthroughs, Inc., a subsidiary of CIS of the Lopez Group. An electrical engineer by profession, Erik was part of the original team that designed the hand-held computers used by Meralco for reading electric meters. His friends call him Erik. "After working in the hardware design, I shifted to writing code for microprocessors of CIS, a subsidiary of the Lopez Group and later designated the director of company's research and development before I joined ABS in March 2000." While the government has given priority in supporting the IT sector, "it should push more in the development of the software industry and not just IT training and courses for programmers," Erik said. He noted the proliferation of IT schools and learning centers throughout the country. Graduates of these IT schools and computer centers are mostly programmers who want to work abroad. One of his friends at Oracle Philippines has convinced him not to leave the country. Upon seeing the potential of software development in the country, Erik decided to stay and worked at the Active Business Solutions, Inc. (ABS), the first strategic company formed by the Yapster e-Conglomerate. His main task at ABS was to lead a team of software engineers in developing all the websites, backend support computer systems and creating an integrated architecture of the Yapster dotcoms.